Projects to continue reliability

Summer is a busy time for your cooperative, as projects across the service area progress. Each year, KEM Electric Cooperative’s operations department works with a team of engineers at Innovative Energy Alliance Cooperative to diligently plan construction projects for the year.

Planning these projects allows KEM Electric to obtain easements, gather materials and allot the appropriate amount of time to complete the projects. You may have seen crews in your area conducting pole testing, changing poles or installing new equipment on a power line near you. These are all part of the projects scheduled for the summer.

Pole testing
Pole testing is a preventative measure KEM Electric conducts each year. With the use of specialized tools as well as a visual inspection of a utility pole, contractors check for internal and external decay, rot or damage that may minimize the lifespan of the pole.

This year, KEM Electric plans to test around 6,500 utility poles across the service area. With help from contractors, failed utility poles will be changed out after they are identified.

Updating technology
KEM Electric has been actively upgrading technology across the service area. Crews have been installing regulators throughout the system. Regulators help ensure a constant, stable flow of electric services to members, regardless of load changes or fluctuation.

TripSaver reclosures, which is fault detection technology, continue to be installed throughout the service area, replacing aged oil-circuit reclosures (OCR). Unlike OCRs, TripSaver reclosures do not have oil and do not require scheduled maintenance, saving the cooperative thousands of dollars every year.

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is compatible technology to be installed in additional substations. SCADA allows us to have real-time data at our fingertips, which will assist in more efficient system loading, switching and outage restoration.

Upgrades and new services
At members’ request, crews will continue to replace overhead power lines with underground cable, install new services and retire services which are no longer needed.

This summer, crews will install 6 miles of three-phase underground cable from the Midway Substation and will retire the aged overhead line. Installation of underground cable helps add reliability to the system by reducing exposure of power lines to weather conditions, animals and other factors that may cause electric service disruptions.

While our crews remain busy, we know our members are hard at work as well. We’d like to remind members to be aware of power lines and electrical equipment. Whether you are baling and stacking hay, spraying fields or enjoying time in your yard, take a moment to look around and stay aware of your surroundings to help prevent accidents. Safety remains our priority for you, our members.